title: Ventral occipito-atlanto-axial fluid-filled lesion causing dynamic spinal cord compression in a cat.
abstract: Cystic lesions affecting the vertebral canal or spinal cord have rarely been reported in cats. A 3-year-old female neutered domestic longhair cat presented for evaluation of a 2-year-history of episodes of ataxia and paresis affecting all limbs. Neurological examination was consistent with a lesion in the C1-C5 spinal cord segments. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a fluid-filled lesion at the occipito-atlanto-axial region causing dynamic spinal cord compression on flexion of the neck. The imaging characteristics were compatible with a juxta-articular cyst. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a fluid-filled lesion causing dynamic cervical spinal cord compression in a cat and highlights the importance of performing flexion-extension MRI views in diagnosing cases with dynamic spinal cord compression.
authors.affiliation: Division of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, UK rodrigo.gutierrezquintana@glasgow.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Rodrigo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gutierrez-Quintana
authors.affiliation: Division of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, UK.
authors.forename: Gawain
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hammond
authors.affiliation: Division of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, UK Pride Veterinary Centre, Derby, UK.
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wessmann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001259:Ataxia / Q000662:veterinary; D001268:Atlanto-Axial Joint; D001269:Atlanto-Occipital Joint; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002415:Cats; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D005260:Female; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000662:veterinary; D010291:Paresis / Q000662:veterinary; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D013581:Synovial Cyst / Q000150:complications / Q000662:veterinary*